Multifuel compensator

Claim 2

A fuel flow compensator for varying the flow rate therethrough of any one of a plurality of fuels of different viscosities as a function of the viscosity of the one fuel, said compensator comprising a body, movable valve means in said body for regulating the rate of flow of fuel through said fuel flow compensator, and movable viscosity-responsive means in said body rigidly connected to said movable valve means and defining, with said body, a narrow passage for fuel from said valve means and responsive to pressure dependent on said viscosity for moving said valve means to vary said rate of fuel flow through said fuel flow compensator as a function of the viscosity of the fuel flowing therethrough to maintain substantially constant the power output of an engine receiving fuel from said fuel flow compensator when changing from a fuel of one viscosity to a fuel of a different viscosity.

Claim 3

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said narrow passage leads to a chamber the pressure in which effects movement of said valve means, said narrow passage connecting said chamber with said valve means, said passage providing a resistance to flow which varies as a direct function of the viscosity of the fuel flowing through said passage into said chamber to vary the pressure in said chamber in accordance with the viscosity of the fuel, and an orifice through which fuel flows from said chamber, said viscosity-responsive means moving said valve means in one direction to increase the flow of fuel through said compensator when a fuel of a relatively low viscosity flows through said passage and a relatively high fluid pressure occurs in said chamber and moving said valve means in the opposite direction when a relatively high-viscosity fuel flows through said passage and a relatively low fluid pressure occurs in said chamber.

Claim 4

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compensator further includes a cavity in said body, and said viscosity-responsive means includes a member slidably mounted in said cavity with said narrow passage between said member and said body leading to said cavity, the portion of said cavity adjacent one end of said member constituting a chamber into which fuel flows through said narrow passage at a rate which is a function of the viscosity of the fuel, said member being moved in one direction in said cavity when a fuel having a low viscosity flows through said narrow passage at a relatively high rate and a relatively high fluid pressure occurs in said chamber to operated said valve means to increase the rate of fuel flow through said compensator, said member being moved in the opposite direction in the cavity when a fuel having a high viscosity flows through said narrow passage at a relatively low rate and a relatively low fluid pressure occurs in said chamber to operate said valve means to decrease the rate of flow of fuel through said compensator.

Claim 5

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compensator member includes a bOdy having a cavity, a member movably mounted in said cavity, said body further having inlet and outlet ports through which fuel flows, said member having one portion cooperating with at least one of said ports to control the effective size thereof and being movable in one direction to reduce said effective size to reduce the rate of fuel flow through said compensator, and said member being movable in a second direction to increase said effective size to increase the rate of fuel flow through said compensator, said viscosity-responsive means including a chamber and a second portion of said member wherein said narrow passage is formed between said second portion and said body to enable fuel to flow through said narrow passage into said chamber at a rate which is a function of the viscosity of the fuel, said member being moved in said one direction to reduce the rate of fuel flow through said compensator to the engine when there is a relatively small flow of high-viscosity fuel into said chamber, and said member being moved in the second direction by fluid pressure in said chamber to increase the rate of fuel flow through said compensator to the engine when there is a relatively large flow of low-viscosity fuel into said chamber.

Claim 6

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 4 wherein said viscosity-responsive means further includes means for engaging said member to urge said member in the second direction.

Claim 7

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 4, further including stop means mounted in said body for limiting the movement of said member in said one direction and preventing said member from completely closing said one port to provide a minimum rate of fuel flow to the engine.

Claim 8

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 6, further including means for adjusting the position of said stop means to vary the minimum rate of fuel flow to the engine.

Claim 9

A flow flow compensator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body has a cavity with inlet and outlet ports through which fuel flows, said valve means includes a member slidably mounted in said cavity, said member including one section movable relative to said inlet and outlet ports by said viscosity-responsive means to vary the effective size of at least one of said ports and the rate of fuel flow through said compensator as a function of the viscosity of the fuel, said member further including a second section having a relatively small transverse dimension to enable fuel to flow from said inlet port to said outlet port through a portion of said cavity adjacent to said second section.

Claim 10

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 8 wherein said member has a third section constituting a part of said viscosity-responsive means, said third section at least partially defining said narrow passage through which fuel flows from said portion of said cavity at a rate which is a function of the viscosity of the fuel.

Claim 11

A fuel flow compensator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compensator includes a body having a cavity, a member slidably mounted in said cavity, said member including one end section constituting a part of said valve means and forming a first chamber at one end of said cavity, said first chamber being connected to a source of fuel under pressure, said member including a second end section constituting a part of said viscosity-responsive means and forming a second chamber at the other end of said cavity, said second chamber being connected to a source of fuel under pressure by said narrow passage through which fuel flows to provide a fluid pressure in said second chamber which is a function of the viscosity of the fuel flowing through said narrow passage, and biasing means engaging said member for urging said member toward said one end of said cavity, said member being moved toward said one end of said cavity by said biasing means and the fluid pressure in said second chamber to increase the rate of fuel flow through said compensator when a fuel having a low viscosity is flowing through said narRow passage and a relatively high fluid pressure occurs in said second chamber, said member being moved toward said other end of said cavity by fluid pressure in said first chamber to decrease the rate of fuel flow through said compensator when a high-viscosity fuel is flowing through said narrow passage and a relatively low fluid pressure occurs in said second chamber.